Hot on the heels of the Scottish Government’s anti-ID statement comes the news that the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) has said its pilots will refuse to take part in the proposed ID card trial for airport workers.

Pilots who refuse to register for an ID card would not be granted airline passes enabling them to fly, resulting in potentially thousands of cancelled flights.

The UK Government had planned to run a trial for all airport workers at Manchester and London City airports starting this autumn, but that now appears in jeopardy.

BALPA said in its submission: “It is clear that the Government’s staged introduction of biometric identity cards first to overseas students, then to migrant workers and then for aviation workers, represents a way of picking off what are seen as easy targets.”